South Texas Birders Excel in National Bird Count Competition

South Texas Birders Excel in National Bird Count Competition

by | Apr 20, 2010 | South Padre

Stick another feather in the cap of the Lower Rio Grande Valley to boost its already sizable reputation as one of the nation’s hottest birding spots.

A team of Rio Grande Valley birders at Estero Llano Grande State Park recently learned they placed first in the state and second in the United States in Birdwatcher’s Digest magazine’s Big Sit! competition held over a 24-hour period in October at  locations throughout the world. It was the first time a team from the state park, which is one of the state’s nine World Birding Center sites, had competed in the Big Sit!

World Birding Center Sites Known For More Than Birds!

by | Apr 20, 2010 | News

Some exciting news for entomologists: a new species of tree cricket has been found in the United States. On May 16, 2009, Nancy Collins from Wisconsin and Laurel Symes, a PhD candidate at Dartmouth University, heard a tree cricket sing at Resaca de la Palma State Park and World Birding Center in Brownsville. On a return trip in June they found another cricket at Bentsen Rio Grande State Park, another World Birding Center in Mission. Further analysis by Dr. Thomas J. Walker, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida-Gainesville, revealed that it was an unnamed species of Oecanthus.  Collins says that it will be called Alexander’s tree cricket, in respect of R. D. Alexander who first discovered them in Mexico in the 1960s.

South Texas Birders Excel in National Bird Count Competition

Game warden Field Notes

by | Apr 20, 2010 | South Padre

he following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

Rodeo in Sonora: On Nov. 30, a Sutton County Game warden received a call about two buck deer attached at the antlers by a large entanglement of wire. One of the deer was alive and the other was dead after being gored by a third buck deer. The location of the call was in the town of Sonora and several spectators were at the scene when the game warden arrived. A plan was developed and the necessary equipment, two ropes and wire cutters, were obtained. With help from a Sonora police department officer, who managed to rope the head of the deer while the game warden roped the back feet, the deer was stretched out in true rodeo head and healer fashion and the wire was cut from the bucks’ heads. The surviving buck was last seen jumping a fence and leaving town at a high rate of speed.

TPWD Seeks Public Comment About Proposed Regulation Changes

by | Apr 19, 2010 | Padre Island

he Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is considering altering hunting and fishing regulations that could increase opportunity and simplify rules.

TPWD staff briefed the Regulations Committee of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Jan. 26, about a series of issues that could result in changes to hunting and fishing regulations next season. Each year, TPWD considers changes in hunting and fishing regulations to achieve resource management objectives and maximize outdoor recreation opportunities consistent with good stewardship.

Volunteers Sought This Summer at Texas State Parks, Historic Sites

by | Apr 19, 2010 | Mustang Island

Texas state parks and historic sites are seeking retirees, vacationing educators and any others looking for something interesting to do this summer.

With more than 100 state parks and historic sites, volunteer opportunities abound throughout the state. Parks seeking volunteers include such popular Texas Hill Country in parks as Blanco and Garner, as well as Mustang Island State Park along the Gulf of Mexico and Panhandle jewel Palo Duro Canyon.

Funding Available For Coastal Habitat Restoration

by | Apr 19, 2010 | Mustang Island

For the fourth year in a row, a regional partnership between the Gulf Ecological Management Sites (GEMS) Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-Based Restoration Program is inviting preproposals for habitat restoration projects.

The Gulf of Mexico Foundation, a nonprofit organization, manages the partnership funds and seeks projects that restore marine, estuarine and riparian habitats to benefit living marine resources and to provide educational and social benefits by significantly involving the community.